Slashes of Black
by VerelLupin
Summary: Can revenge be paid for in blood and can love overcome the kill... S/L
1. Partial Truths

**Sweeny Todd belongs to Someone Else!! (Can't remember who at the time)**

**Johnny comes over every now and then. (Don't I wish)**

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His arm pulled back ready to dispatch this bully to the netherworld. Small hands gripped his forearm keeping it still. His outrage was swift, he grabbed the person by the throat, slamming them into the nearest wall.

Mrs. Lovett's eyes were wide with terror. She eyed the blade. His other hand still frozen in midair, she knew that a new target had been chosen. "Please Mr. B. This isn't like you."

Her voice slight in the face of his aggression, "Killin' a man that done you no 'arm."

"'E deserves to die, he was going to blackmail me." She kept still the wheels in her head turning and coming to an understanding, "We'll toss him out in another part of the city. He'll be picked clean in no time." she gasped, her pale face pleading.

"Take him, but I will have my revenge on the judge." he dropped her, his knife held close to his person.

She eyed the man in the vibrant blue coat, he wasn't dead yet but he would be. There was too much blood lost and she was no nursemaid.

She moved him to the steamer trunk, rummaging through his pockets. "Waste not, want not." she replied to Sweeney's raised eyebrow.

"Master, your appointment is nearly here….Master?" the young boy looked around the barbershop. "Has my master left?" the boy turned to Mrs. Lovett. "Yes, love. We bought you from him at a low price for one such as you." Mrs. Lovett handed half the coins to the dumbstruck boy. "Miss? I've no place to be, I'll be separated from my earnings soon enough."

The boy was startled, he looked up at the sound. Sweeney's dark gaze bore into his own, "You've a home with Mrs. Lovett. She needs an apprentice." Mrs. Lovett bent down, cupping his face tenderly, "You run on and get us a bottle of gin. I've a word to have with Mr. B."

Once the child was gone, she confronted him. "Mr. B.? Benjamin?" she stepped closer to him, his back was to her but his mood was uncertain. With a deep breath she couldn't remember taking, she touched his back.

His shoulder's tensed, an indifferent stare meet her fearful one. "I need you to make me a promise." her hands were clasped together, her delicate gloves grinding against each other. "Why?" Sweeney took a step towards her, forcing her to back into the chair.

She landed with a thump, he came around the chair. His forearm leaning menacingly against her exposed throat. Horror filled her eyes, the gleam of silver barely visible in her vision. "I did not tell the whole truth."

Sweeney gripped one side of the chair, forcing it and Mrs. Lovett to tilt back towards him. "Just what did you lie about." his hushed breath sliding over her neck. She shivered, his breath lingering on her collarbone. She turned her head towards him, her mouth inches from his own. "Your wife is still alive."

Sweeney immediately released the chair, the blade slipping by her in agonized slow motion. Sweeney observed the people out in the street, rage filling him at their ignorance of his pain.

He slashed the air, making it seem to vibrate. "You'll tell me where." he demanded advancing to her.

Mrs. Lovett had moved from the chair and had backed into the same wall as before. "Then we'll decide about revenge." he motioned, his fingers holding one strand of her dark hair. She nodded, her eyes closing on their own accord. His lips were rough, his hands pinning her to the wall.

Sweeney let go abruptly, she slid down the wall dazed. "Get out, I want to be alone." he snapped. She got up hastily, her dress barely holding together.

"Mrs. Lovett?" she paused her hand on the door. "The name's no longer Barker. It's Todd. Sweeney Todd."

Without a response, she ran down the steps and into her home, her mouth was sore and tender to the touch but she was smiling anyway.

Upstairs in a ragged chair, Sweeney absentmindedly pulled the black lace fabric hanging off his blade. He threw the knife, it came to a sliding halt against a wall. He examined the black fabric and closed his eyes.


	2. Undisclosed Anguish

**I finally updated!! Yay!**

**I know its short but a disgustingly long one is in process.**

**Enjoy.**

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Mrs. Lovett awoke, glaring at the ceiling in reproach. She loved her Mr. T, but she wished he stop pacing and let her sleep a bit. 

"Can't go back to sleep now, might as well open shop." She got up slowly, her body adjusting to the cold of her bedroom.

Shivering and annoyed at the early hour, she grumbled forcing the poor boy off the couch roughly. "Toby, wake up child, you're needed for errands." Toby rolled over, the bottle of gin hanging from his hand, "Ma'am?"

She fixed breakfast, setting aside a plate for Toby. Gathering her skirts, made her way up the stairs to Mr. Todd. "Mr. T?" She wasn't gonna give him another opportunity to let him place his bloody blade near her.

"Mr. Todd, are you here?" she peered into the gloom, "Where else would I be woman?" his angry voice coming out of the darkness.

"Just brought you something to keep your strength up." Nellie stepped fully into the old shop, letting her eyes adjust. She placed the tray near the wash stand. Her hands nervously patting down her dress. "Mr. Todd, will you be reopening your shop?"

"Where is my wife, Mrs. Lovett?" he growled shoving the plate away from him. "Shouldn't you eat something first? All those years couldn't of been kind, love."

Nellie hedged, unsure of how to tell him the terrible news.

Sweeney had very little patience and Nellie Lovett was skating close to the edge of it. "Don't. Call. Me. That." his eyes burning into her own.

"Poor thing, she took arsenic from the apothecary around the corner." she began…" I know that already, where is my Lucy." he shouted. "Come here, Mr. Todd." she beckoned.

Sweeney let her guide him over to the window.

"There was a barber and his wife and she's was beautiful. She was beautiful this barber's wife, until she tried to take her life. The poison destroyed her mind and she became… a poor thing." she finished, her hand pointing to the beggar woman sleeping in the alley.

"No!" he dropped to his knees, hunching over in despair.

Nellie left his shop for the second time, unable to face his raw anguish. Nellie paused at the entrance of her shop, her gaze traveling to the balcony above her.

The shop bell tinkled in odd merriment to its occupants."Ma'am?" Toby stood in front of her, a tumbler full of gin in his hand. "Think, you need this more that I."

She patted his head gently,"You're a good boy, Toby."


	3. Disturbed Feelings

**Finally updated...Whoo Hoo!!!**

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He walked the cold streets, his mind trying to cast back to 15 years ago. Before the hell he had escaped, before the sordid tale, Mrs. Lovett had told. He couldn't see her face, only her hair. Hair that hid that lovely face from his mind's eye. 

He had gone looking for her and found her, but it was another Lucy in her place. One that did not fit his recollections of a breathtaking beauty with wheat colored hair.

Hair that was now dank and listless. The only face he could see was damaged and disease-ridden. He shuddered, not being able to believe that such purity now housed such filth.

Together they had wrestled her into the shop. She had screamed and cursed them, biting Nellie and kicking Sweeney for their trouble. He had watched helplessly as Mrs. Lovett subdued her, picking her up with pure will.

He had not been able to look her in the eyes, the guilt of not being able to protect her surged within him. Mrs. Lovett had roughly plunked her into the water, a hard scrubbing securing a childish wail from her.

"Enough…" he had panted, he couldn't bare her screaming, "Leave Us." he shouted, shoving Mrs. Lovett unceremoniously out of her own bath. "But…Mr. T…I can…" he slammed the door in her shocked face.

His Lucy played in her bathwater, her face scrubbed she almost looked like the woman he was struggling to remember. "Do I know you," she whispered her small hands reaching out to caress Sweeney's tear streaked check. "Not yet Love."

He washed her as gently as her sores would allow. His hands dipping the towel gently into the soapy water. Years of grime coming loose under his tender ministrations. She smiled at him, her simple expression never changing.

"There was a barber and his wife and she was…is beautiful. She was his reason and his life and she was beautiful."

Lucy cupped her hands, blowing a bubble into his face. His face cracked into a weary smile, her reward for sitting quietly as he finished bathing her. Her hair was the worst but he patiently washed it, once her porcelain skin was clean he lifted her out. His shirt sleeves soaked in years of London streets, he silently thanked the darkness for not showing him her true self.

He vaguely remembered the layout, he had only come into Mrs. Lovett's room once and that had been a Lucy's behest. He smirked at the irony of it, he passed the parlor where Mrs. Lovett lay shivering under a threadbare blanket. He continued his search of her home.

He quickly found her bedroom, it was clean and bare. A large bed took up most of the room, a wardrobe and chipped basin completed the rest of the furnishings. He suddenly felt a tinge of shame, he had not bothered to think of the hardships a widowed woman faced, especially one so close to poverty.

Sweeney sat Lucy on the bed, he noticed it creaked ominously. His eyes searched for clothing for his wife, her own would have to be thoroughly cleaned if not destroyed all together. Again that tinge of shame, he wondered how much he would have to depend on his landlady.

He spotted a blue nightdress hanging on a broken screen he had not noticed earlier. He slipped the precious fabric onto his wife, she pinched the fabric between her fingers rubbing it delightedly. He sat beside her unsure of what to do next.

"Penny first, mister." she mumbled her bony arms making to lift her new clothing.

Sweeney withdrew a penny from his coat pocket, he lowered her night dress. He let her slide into the bed first, confusion marred her forehead.

"Later, rest now," he said kissing her, she turned and fell asleep. Sadly he climbed fully dressed and laid down, a mask of grief slipping over his own features at his homecoming.

He awoke to banging pots and pans, checking that Lucy had not been frightened by the noise, he rose satisfied that she still rested beside him. His satisfaction was short lived as the ruckus continued, with a growl, he followed the sound to the kitchen bakery.

"What's this." he snapped. Mrs. Lovett did not turn, her shoulders straight and stiff.

"It's breakfast, Mr. Todd. What else?" she remarked coldly.

"A little quiet would be most appreciated." he said through gritted teeth. It was taking all his self control not to wring her silly neck.

Mrs. Lovett did not respond but he noted that the pans became more quiet as he headed to the washroom. Twenty minutes later, Sweeney found two plates of cold ham and warm bread sitting on a tray outsider her room, Mrs. Lovett nowhere in sight.

He took the plates, his mind with no thought to where the baker had hidden herself.

Nellie Lovett walked the marketplace trying to erase the vision that had set her into such a terrible mood. Mr. Todd or Mr. Barker, whatever he was calling himself curled lovingly around his wife. A wife who was wearing her nightgown and sleeping in her bed and hugging the man she loved.

Her heart had broken before but she had been able to push on, but this was proving even difficult for her resolve. She squared her shoulders, "Keep moving forward, Nellie. No point dwelling on things that happened who knows how many years ago."

She grabbed her meager groceries and left the marketplace, unaware of the dark eyes following her. Nellie struggled with her basket, the rough night was catching up to her. She made it to her shop, slamming the basket onto the counter, she cringed at her lack of control.

Todd entered the room, his face wearing detached curiosity. She was unnaturally quiet, his dark eyes followed her around the room. She put away the little she bought and immediately began pounding out flour for those disgusting pies of hers.

She could feel those heavy eyes boring into the back, but she ignored him. The hurt from this morning still fresh in her mind. Her hands quickly cut the piles of dough, making neat piles to begin rolling out.

"I believe, It's time to open my business again. Mrs. Lovett."

She continued squashing the dough, pretending it was blonde and virtuous. She rounded out the dough, smacking it soundly with her rolling pin. He eyed the piles of dough, they formed a mini barrier he refused to cross, the woman was irked and he didn't have the patience to have it out with her.

"Lucy, I assume will stay in your old rooms." Sweeney nodded, something squirming and unfamiliar at the pit of his stomach. She looked at him with undisguised hurt before bending her head once more over her task. He cleared his throat uncomfortably mumbling a quick thank you, he escaped the kitchen and those accusing brown eyes.


	4. Confused Ramblings

**I've had such bad writer's block... Thankfully its over. **

**I have several chapters but I have to clean them up. **

**Enjoy this one... Thank you to everybody that has reviewed. **

**Sorry if they are a bit oc but it's hard to keep Sweeney in check. He's always carrying **

**that bloody razor!!**

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Lucy woke up, looking around the room. "The alley's missing. Must tell the beadle, the beadle will want to know. Yes he will." She mumbled her nonsense, looking for the ragged clothing she always wore.

Not seeing them, she pulled her filthy shawl over the night dress. Her eyes widened taking in her surroundings. She ambled out of the room, touching the walls with greedy fingers. She soon found herself in a small parlor.

"Where…" she stopped, this house looked familiar. She scrunched up her face, her frail mind trying desperately to put name to where she was.

"Baker…Baker…the baker." She shouted it gleefully, she twirled around the parlor. "Baker…" nothing else came to her mind, frustrated she began to yell.

"What the devil?" Mrs. Lovett wiped her floury hands on her apron, "What you yellin' 'bout." Nellie stopped in the doorway watching as Lucy screamed and pulled her hair. Tufts of yellow strands fell to the floor.

"If Mr. Barker…Umm Todd sees this, he'll skin me for sure." She mumbled. Nellie ran to her, grabbing her hands roughly, "Stop it, you'll leave yourself bald, you will."

Lucy screamed louder, her eyes bulging as Nellie wrestled her to the floor. "No, no please have pity have pity." Panicked Lucy bit her hand, sinking yellow teeth into Nellie's white hand.

"Ow!" Nellie shrieked with pain, momentarily letting go. Lucy rolled away and tried to crawl away but Nellie had hold of her ankle, her throbbing hand tucked against her.

Lucy screamed wildly, howling like an animal in pain. She kicked out, catching Nellie right in the face. Taking advantage of her injury, Lucy yanked a fistful of hair, kicking and savagely beating every part of Nellie she could reach.

They rolled to the floor, each landing their own punishing blows.

Nellie trying to calm her but was forced to duck as Lucy grabbed a hold of statuette. Without further ado, Nellie hauled back and punched her, knocking her out cold.

"What. Is. The. Meaning. Of. This." Nellie was yanked off Lucy and into Mr. Todd's arms. Her adrenaline fled as her eyes were forced to meet the cruel dark eyes of her barber.

"I…I…was…," Nellie then did something she had never done in her life. She fainted dead away.

Sweeney's face lost its look of rage, his mouth hanging open comically. He was deeply confused and his features clearly were trying to fathom, why he had one woman in his arms and the other on the floor.

Sweeney had heard the shouting and screaming from his tonsorial parlor. He had run down the stairs oblivious to the startled looks of their neighbors. However by the time he had made his way to Mrs. Lovettt's parlor, he had only seen his landlady punch his wife.

Blind anger had made him pull her off his Lucy and shake her like a doll. The terror in his eyes had apparently been enough to make the poor baker fall in a feint in his arms.

He felt again another twinge of pity and with a heavy sigh he stepped over his wife and carried her to the sofa. He laid her down quickly but gently. He turned back to Lucy and kneeled to pick her up as well.

He had just begun to put her down on the bed when he noticed the dark stain on his forearm. He nearly tossed Lucy onto the bed in his haste. He frantically checked his wife but she had only scratches and the beginning of purple eye.

'That meant…" his thought went unfinished as he rushed back to the parlor and bent to examine Mrs. Lovett.

Her red hair made it impossible to tell, but as he lifted her head, he saw it. Near where Lucy had been lying was a small statue. Nellie's head was bleeding…


	5. Closing Wounds

**I know its short! Please forgive me!**

**Having difficulties deciding where this story is going.**

**A Great Big Thank You to all who haven't given up on this story.**

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Sweeney forced his hands through the mess his landlady called hair. He felt around for the wound. It wasn't deep thank god but it was still bleeding.

He looked at his fingers coated with her blood and felt a bubble of panic. "Mrs. Lovett. Wake up." Her head was hanging off his arm in what he thought was no doubt a very uncomfortable position. He gripped the back of her head and pulled her towards him like a puppet on a string.

Sweeney half carried her and half dragged her to the bathroom basin. He knew it was dangerous to move her but he couldn't bear to leave her helpless and lying bleeding in her own parlor. He propped her up on the only available surface.

Her head rested on the edge of the claw foot tub. Sweeney dunked a towel and dropped it on her face. When she made no sound, he raised it and cautiously began to wipe her face with it. He was surprised by the sheer relief he felt as those dark brown eyes stared into his own.

"Whot…" Nellie grabbed her head, pulling the towel of it. She nearly passed out as she noticed the stickiness on her hand. "Here." He gruffly grabbed the towel from her lap where it had fallen. "Mr. T?" she asked.

"Why am I in me tub and why you here?" Sweeney sighed in exasperation. '**Leave her to forget that her head is bloody bleeding and think of the propriety of the situation.' **

He moved her head to the side and began cleaning what he could see of the wound, "Because you, stupid woman, decided to get into some sort of brawl with my wife." he answered, his hands searching out the edges of her injury.

She hissed in pain but muttered something along the lines of crazy woman started it. "What." Sweeney reprimanded before realizing he must be hurting her by the sounds she was making. "It ain't no piece of meat, Mr. T." she yanked the towel from him, "I've got some laudanum in the cabinet and some needle and thread in me sowin' basket."

Sweeney stared at her, "Are you daft, I'm no surgeon. I'm not about to sow you back up." he squawked. Nellie grabbed onto the tub edge and very carefully made her way out of the tub. "Of course not. Just hand me that mirror and grab what's left of that bottle of gin."

Sweeney made a beeline for the kitchen and returned with gin. She took a quick mouthful. "Need the courage love." she replied at his confused expression. She poured some gin on the needle and thread, her hand motioning him closer.

He held the mirror before him like some sort of shield. "After wot you did to Pirelli. A little stitching scares you. Oh Mr. T." she giggled. He watched in fascination as she parted her hair carefully, feeling out the edge. Even though she was sitting he could see she was already begin to sway.

He put down the mirror, "Here, let me do it." He propped himself against the tub and sat behind her. He took a swig of gin and put the needle through her delicate scalp. She yelped and then slumped onto him. He tried to imagine it was piece of clothing and not the bakers skin he was stitching thorough.

He scrutinized the stitches. Once he was satisfied they were as straight at possible given the situation, he pulled away from her. He kept hold of her shoulders so she wouldn't complete slide to the floor. The feelings of shame he'd been feeling earlier disappeared a little as he hoisted her up into his arms.

**'At least I could help you in this, Nellie Lovett.' **he pondered and for a moment completely forgot about Lucy, his mind completely focused on his delicate redhead.


	6. Splitting Hairs

**Hello My Dear and Fabulous Readers,**

** I was going to wait to post this to make it a bit longer but I just had to share it.**

** The plot bunnies have been hard at work and got me off my lazy rear, teehee!**

** The next chapter will have some much needed fluff - Sweettnett of course!**

**Enjoy and as always Reviews or even flames welcome.**

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****'What's this,' **she thought **'It's hot and heavy. Smells nice though.' **

Nellie parted the hair that was very much in her face, hair that was too dark to be hers. She took a deep breath and tried not to squeal in a disturbingly giddy way, it was then it occurred that as much as she wanted to she could not remained beneath Sweeney Todd.

Moving from underneath his bulk was an amazingly slow process. **'Who knew the bloody man was so 'eavy? 'E appears to be a slim thing.**' she wondered annoyed at this new wrinkle in their relationship. **'Somehow 'es gonna make it my fault. I just know it.' **

She was saddened that her level headedness had once again ruined a lovely moment, one she was sure would never happen again. **'Unless me hair falls out and grows back blond. No point in the past. Stop sulking and start thinking of how to get out of this with our skin in tact.' **Nellie began to plot how move him but her thoughts were distracted by how they had managed to get into this predicament.

Comprehending that her own mind wouldn't leave off 'til she figured out, Nellie grasped at the few moments of consciousness she had experienced. Apparently sometime during her passing out in the washroom, he had carried her back to the parlor. Lucy must still be in her room and judging from their positions he had tried to sit next to her to keep her awake.

She vaguely remembered him asking her questions about her home. She had mumbled something about Albert being a good but very cold man. "He musta been exhausted, poor dear." Somehow he had fallen asleep and then had to have slid onto her.

His weight pushed her down and from there she had woken to this now delightful situation.

"Best hurry and stop dawdling'. 'ell be enraged, e' will if 'e thinks I was overstepping my bounds again." Nellie was twisted and her hip was starting to throb painfully. She curled her legs beneath her and attempted to use them as leverage.

Huffing lightly, Nellie blew a lock of hair from her face and yanked her dress to be able to roll once she got him to a proper angle. She arched her back and wiggled up as much as it was possible. She stilled when he twitched but apparently it was just a dream and he resumed sleeping.

She was actually surprised by how relaxed he looked. The last few days he had left Lucy in her room and taken to pacing. Most of the time the sound of his heels clicking against the floor put her to sleep better than any warm cup of milk.

'**Havin' his precious Lucy don't seem to help 'im sleep much.' **she thought spitefully. She shook herself to still any more unhelpful thoughts and continue her mission of getting out unscathed. Her knees rested against his vest its buttons making indentations into her thin striped stockings.

The effort of keeping them together and edging them up higher on his chest was making her whole body tremble. She braced herself one handed as her other arm was pinned to her side by his weight. Her plan was working since now that her knees had taken off his weight she was able to pull her other arm from the depressed cushions.

She wheezed and cursed her extra tight corset as she began to shake her arm awake. It tingled and she gingerly slid her hands onto his chest. So she didn't have to start so low but a girl had to take what opportunities fate presented and Nellie hated to waste anything.

She had just started to slide her left leg to the side when his dark eyes slid open lazily, "May I ask what in the blazes you're doin'." His voice raked through her arms like coals. She had been unsteady from the pins and needles in her one arm, not to mention the worry of being caught by him.

All that tension was just the right amount for her legs to lose her leverage and bring him crashing down with her yelping as his whole bulk slammed down between her legs. "Oh hell." she uttered. His cloud of black hair covering her face once more.

'**Now that's something' I'll noh forget soon.' **she thought wistfully.


	7. Serious Lies

I finally updated. It was so hard to write this chapter. I actually had to watch my Sweeney dvd again just to get a feel for where I was going with this.

Sorry to keep you waiting. Enjoy.

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"May I ask what in the blazes you're doin'?" he growled. He knew exactly what she'd been doing. Maybe it was because he was starting to feel those fifteen years of being without a warm body beneath him. He wanted to believe it was because he felt lust.

He didn't want to consider why the idea of laying between her stocking clad legs was making chills run up and down his spine. He could feel her arms attempting to support him and he perversely made himself more heavy that he had been moments before. He landed hard on her but even though he knocked the breath out of himself, he had to smirk at her resilience. "Oh hell." she muttered.

He allowed her to shift his weight marginally so as to be comfortable. His hair obscured her face and he left it for the moment. If he could pretend it was his Lucy beneath him maybe he wouldn't feel the guilt churning inside him.

However as he kissed the hollow at her neck any illusion that she was Lucy was irrevocably shattered. His Lucy had never hugged him to her. She had never made such delightful squeals of encouragement. And if memory served right, she would have never run her foot up his legs in such a wanton manner.

He rose up just enough to remove his raven locks from her flushed face. Her eyes were wide and open. It nearly unhinged him to see the depth of her trust in him. Never had he ever felt so responsible for someone as he did for her.

He sat up slightly so he was almost nearly sitting on her. "Mr.B?" she questioned.

He placed one hand on her mouth. If he didn't silence her, he would regain his senses. She stared up at him with his hand covering the bottom of her face. Trembling she lifted one hand and caressed his stubbled cheek.

The tenderness in her action broke the dam within him and for a moment Benjamin and Sweeney fought for dominance. He turned his face and kissed her palm. He leaned down and replaced his hand with his mouth. She took the very air from his lungs and he ceased fighting the impulse to bury his entire being in her.

His tongue traced the line of her jaw and swept downwards. Her whimpering only sped his ardor further until every inch of her neck was treated to the generous attention of his mouth. His hands had not kept still as one had both her hands trapped above her head. The other lingered around every line and hook of her corset.

At some point it had come loose and his wayward mouth roamed over the heaving chest being shoved into his face. He gratefully and reverently caressed the graceful curves that were no longer hidden by her dress. It lay open to him offering him a way back from the darkness that was beginning to consume him.

Sweeney knew that he would go mad if he allowed any feelings for this woman but after being so far away and for so long it was impossible. He needed to find some sort of color in the grayness that represented his life. Her vibrant hair contrasted with her paleness but she was a sunburst in comparison to his own person.

His hand released hers and skated closer to her underskirt. His fingers walked up the striped material sheltering the most precious part of her. Her leg were still semi wrapped around him making his job that much easier. He wanted to throw up her skirts but he restrained his nature to savor every moment.

She sat up and her luminous brown eyes drank his pale face in and she pressed herself as closely as her remaining clothes allowed. He throbbed painfully and he knew he would not last much longer. Being without a woman's touch for so long had already robbed him of much of his patience and her body was quickly stealing the rest.

She jerked into his chest as his touch finally found her. He grimaced at the brutal way her hands had fisted in his shirt but he remained pined to her. She was warmth in the cold that had permeated him since he had found out what had happened to his beloved. She opened for him and he was ready to be embraced by her, completely willing to abandon himself to her body.

At least he had been 'til he saw her. Lucy had gotten up from the bed. Bedraggled and wretched she stood silhouetted by the fireplace. He leapt off of . His lust drowned in the cold feelings of shame and he set himself to rights. Mrs. Lovett protested but seeing his stony face, she too set to adjusting her skirt and redoing her laces as best as she could.

Sweeney didn't spare her a glance. A part of him was still befuddled by his lust and his growing attraction. A dangerous distraction that would have to be dealt with.

He wondered briefly if he would have regretted lain with her if Lucy had not shown up in time. "Lucy love, do you feel better?" he asked. Lucy turned startlingly clear eyes on him and for a moment he though she might have been very aware of what she had walked in on.

"I'm hungry. So hungry." she cried pityingly.

Benjamin emerged fully and wrapped his arms around the frail woman. He led her to the kitchen ignoring Mrs. Lovett's hurt glance. He sat Lucy at the table and searched for something edible. He found a pie that was not quite hard and placed it before her.

Lucy dug into it greedily. He poured her half a tumbler of gin and she nearly spilled it. She soaped up the remaining gin with the bit of pie stuck to her hands. She sucked her fingers clean and set about wiping her filthy hands on her raggedy dress.

Sweeney sighed and shamefully faced the living room where his landlady was hunched over a pillow crying softly into it. He felt torn apart by his dilemma. Lucy was his wife regardless but Nellie was beginning to carve a tiny corner of his heart and bringing it to life.

He had followed the rules all his life and all he had to show for it was fifteen lost years and a wife that no longer recognized herself much less him. Sweeney stalked into the living room and dragged up Nellie to her feet. She struggled against him but he took her mouth savagely.

He licked the blood of her bitten lip and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'm done with rules, Mrs. Lovett. I have a good idea that you will be too."

Neither saw the blonde in the doorway. Lucy had always and would continue to follow the rules.


End file.
